Microsoft Ads & Power BI: How to integrate your data and template

How to connect your Microsoft Ads account to PowerBI

Add a source on Catchr

To start, navigate to the Sources section on the Catchr homepage using the menu on the left. Once there, click on Add a Source positioned at the top-right corner of the page.

Next, choose the marketing platform — in this case, Microsoft Ads — and complete the authentication process to establish a connection between Catchr and Microsoft Ads.

Create the request to transfer Microsoft Ads data to PowerBI

• Inside Catchr, select API from the left-hand menu.

• Initially, change the export format to "PowerBI".

• Under the "Source" tab, pinpoint Microsoft Ads as the platform from which to transport data.

• Select the specific accounts you wish to pull data from; you have the option here to extract from multiple accounts if necessary.

• Decide on the metrics and dimensions needed for your query, with the ability to select several.

• Warning: If you opt to use a Catchr template, ensure you tick off all the necessary dimensions and metrics indicated on the template's page. With the correct selections, your template should preload with the data you've collected.
• Define the timeframe for the data retrieval from Microsoft Ads; you can either define a custom range or select a preset duration.

• If required, add filters to refine your data request, keeping in mind the capability of appending multiple filters.

• You may also append various platform-specific options to your query at this stage.

• Once your setup is complete, a URL will be generated and displayed in the top bar. For a sneak peek at the outcome, click on Preview located on the top right.

• Soon after, a preview of your data will be available for review.

• If the preview meets your expectations, copy the provided URL, which will be crucial for linking Microsoft Ads to PowerBI later.

Import the Microsoft Ads data and KPI to PowerBI

PowerBI Desktop:

• In PowerBI Desktop, navigate to Get Data, then Web.

• Maintain the default 'basics' setting and paste the URL you obtained from Catchr into the provided field.

• Click OK.

PowerBI may require several minutes to import your data. Post-import, the PowerBI Query Editor can be utilized to amend query details and configure your field types. You're now ready to design your dashboard with live Microsoft Ads data, and subsequently publish and circulate it as needed. If you need to access your dataset within the PowerBI Web App, ensure it's first published to enable browser-based usage.

PowerBI Web App:

After importing your dataset from the PowerBI desktop as previously instructed, head to New Report and select a published dataset. All your available datasets will appear, allowing you to generate fresh reports using them.

By the end of this guide, you should be able to streamline your Microsoft Ads data seamlessly into PowerBI, leveraging Catchr's integration to bolster your data analysis and reporting capabilities.

Example of metrics you can use with the PowerBI Integration for Microsoft Ads

PowerBI's integration with Microsoft Ads opens a world of possibilities for marketers and data analysts. With the following metrics, users can unearth rich insights and make data-driven decisions to enhance campaign performance. Here are some of the numerous metrics that you can employ for a granular analysis of your ads performance:

Visualize your Cost Per Click (CPC) trends over time to pinpoint cost fluctuations and seasons of heightened efficiency. Impression Share Percent can shed light on your ad's market handling against competitors. Discover which ads are outperforming with Click-Through Rates (CTR) and streamline budget allocation via Return On Ad Spend (ROAS). You can delve into demographics using metrics like Age Group or Gender to tailor your creatives for the right audience.

Harness the power of geographical targeting by integrating Location Type data to discern physical vs. interest-based engagements. Or dive deep into device performance by analyzing Device OS and Type metrics, adopting a mobile-first approach if your users are primarily on smartphones. The Top vs.Other metrics can influence placement strategies, helping you prioritize high-performing ad positions.

With Catchr and PowerBI, you can effortlessly transform this data into accessible, interpretable visualizations such as bar charts, line graphs, and heat maps. For a full list of metrics available for your Microsoft Ads data analysis, visit Catchr’s Microsoft Ads metrics directory.

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